Water resistant watchcase



Jan. 8, 1946. VERMOT 2,392,787

WATER RESISTANT WATCH CASE Filed July 27, 1944 IN VEN TOR. HENRI E. VERMOT ATTY.

Patented Jan. 8, 1946 ilmriildmond Lancactenlt. n ssignorto I Hamilton Watch Company LnncategPa. I

Application my 27. 1944. s l e- 11 i Claim. (01. st-so) This invention relates to a new type of water. dust and moisture resistant watch case and is designed to seal the movement with a single case sealing means.

The object or the invention is to provide a watch case which may be made waterproof, with the thought of simplifying assembly-providing easy accessibility to the movement for repairs or adjustment-minimizing replacement parts. and at the same time present a pleasingappearance .It has been found that .inthe making of water prool watches it is necessary to add seals and gasket rings making the. watch necessarily thicker. lliis materially reduces the sales value of the watch as the tendency in the trade leans towards thinner and more attractive watches.

It is the object of this invention therefore to eliminate one 01' the sealing points and present a watch case which may be sealed at only one point.

It is a further object oi the present invention to utilize a reflector ring as a means for holding the sea-hm means, making it easier to assemble the movement in the case. and provide positive location of said sealing means to insure maximum of protection against penetration of water, dnst..m0isture, etc.

It is a still further object o! the present inventicn to utilize a single piece pressed back designed to fit within a'bezel andsecured to the basal by means of a threaded ring This particular single piece pressed back also carries a pendant tube formed integrally to insure as near perfect as possible a support to the semi-universal joint stem and insures correct concentricity.

It is a still further object of the present inventlon to provide a waterproof case so designed that the movement may be assembled from the back. The movement may be assembled into the back in a dial-upward position rather than the usual method of easing the movement in a downward position, thus eliminating damage to hands or movement.

It is a. still further object of the present invention to provide a waterproof watch ease having a separate threaded back ring, the removing of which allows the entire assembled case to be dismantled, and thus avoid damage to back of case.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side view partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the reflector ring and sealing ring.

Fla. 3 is a back view of the watch.

sealing washer l2, an annular back ring .18- threads into the bezel st ll and beam against Fit. 4 is a. side elevation d the reflector rin and sealing ring.

Referring more particularly to Fig. l the watch case comprises a crystal 1 formed of plastic material which is held in place by ahead 2 engagin the flange 3 of the crystal 1. The back fl' is pressed from a single piece of metal and is formed with an integral annular ring 5 and a bulged por tlon 8. The annular ring {is formed with a -re-.

' cess portlon l and an umtanding s'mmiar rim 3; A reflector ring 9 is formed with a washerre talning groove ill and an angle relleetlngsurface l'l. Carried in the retaining groove ii is a Korothe annular ring 8 o! the back'lto provide a means of forcing the backagainst the Koroseal washer. Holes it in the back ring are used with or disassembling a special tool for assembling the watch case.

In assembling the movement ina watch case of the usual waterprooi design it is necessary that the movement beput inthe case, dial down, and

while In this position the winding stem'jpassed through the bezel and secured in posltlonby tightening the set screw. This operation requlresi the skill or a watchmaker and results a great many times in the bending of the hands, due to the fact that. the operator is unable to watch the hands as the movement is in a dial down position.

With the waterproof watch case, which is the subject of this invention, the movement is first cased with a split stem, that is the stem has a semi-universal joint which allows the stem to be separated in one position. In assembling the movement in the case of the present invention the stem is first applied through the bezel and the position of the stem ilxed. The watch movement is then placed in the bezel so that the section of stem amxed to the watch movement and the section passing through the bezel will be joined. This is done in a. dial up position with no danger of bending or mutilatlng the hands. The reflecting ring 9 is then placed over the cased movement, the crystal over the reflecting ring and the bezel I placed over the entire assembly. eng in the flange 8 of the crystal and closely embracing the shoulder 5 of the back 4. The annular back ring is then threaded into the bezel and engaging the shoulder I of the back 4 forces the annular rim I against the sealing washer l2 which engages the flange l of the crystal held by the shoulder of the bezel and forms a perfect seal preventing any entrance of outside moistur to the watch movement.

This reflector ring 9 is formed with a washer re-v taining groove which flrmly holds the washer inin said groove. a crystal overlying said reflector ring and seated on said sealing washer and the means for forcing said crystal and said upstanding annular rim into sealing engagement with said sealing washer.

4. A waterproof watch case comprising a back formed with a central opening for receiving a watch movement having the usual dial therewith, said back being formed with an annular shoulder having an annular groove and an upstanding exterior rim formed thereon. a reflector ring overlying said back and bearing against the dial of "said watch movement, said reflecting ring havthe position in which it is applied tothe assembly,

the assembling of three watches of the type of v the present design in the time that one watch of the usual waterproof design could be assembled.

.Whatisclaimedis: Y

' l. A waterproof watch case comprising a back formed with an annular shoulder, a reflector ring fitting said back and seated on said annular shoulder, a crystal overlying said reflector ring and formed with an annular flange directly overlying the annular shoulder of said back, a sealing means between said annular shoulder and the flange of said crystal and means for forcing said shoulder and said crystal into sealing relationship. .7

2 A waterproof watch case comprising a back formed with an annular shoulder having an upstanding rim thereon, a reflector ring formed with'an exterior washer retaining groove, a sealing washer carried in saidgroove and seated on the upstanding rim of said shoulder, a crystal formed with an annular flange fltting over said reflector ring and contacting said sealingwasher, a bezel interiorly threaded at one end and formed with an exterior flange at the other end, said flange engaging the flange of said crystal, and a back ring threaded into said bezel and engaging the, shoulder of said back. forcing the flange of said crystal and the upstanding rim of said back shoulder into sealing engagement" with said sealing washer.

3. A waterproof watch case comprising a back formed with an annular shoulder having an annular recess and an upstanding rim formed on said shoulder, a reflector ring formed with an exterior annular groove, a sealing washer carried ing an exterior annular groove and adapted to flt within the annular groove of the shoulder of said back, a sealing washer carried in the annular groove of said reflector ring, a crystal overlying said, reflector ring and seated on said sealing washer, a bezel formed with an interior flange engaging said crystal and means threadedly engaging said bezel and forced into contact with said back so as to bring said crystal and upstanding rim of the annular shoulder of said back into sealing relationship with said sealing washer.

5. vIn a waterproof watch case having a crystal and a back adapted to bebrought into sealing engagement with said crystal, 9. reflector ring comprising a vertical portion formed with spaced exterior annular flanges to provide a washer receiving' groove there-between, a reflecting portion of said ring extending from the crystal interiorly to beyond the inside rim of the back portion, a sealing washer carried in said groove and between said crystal and said back and means of forcing said crystal and back into sealing relationship with said'sealing washer.

6. In a waterproof watch case. having a hollow back portion adapted to receive a watch movement and a crystal adapted to overlie said back and to be brought into sealing relationship with said back, a reflector ring comprising-a vertical portion formed with a comparatively narrow upper annular flange and a comparatively wide lower annular flange, said flanges forming a' 5 washer receiving groove there-between, a reflect ing portion contacting said crystal and overlying the hollowed portion of said back, a sealing washer carried in the groove formed between said upper and lower flanges and means for forcing said back and'said crystal into sealing relationship .with

washer.

said sealing HENRI EDMOND VERMOT. 

